caktophtllacejE. (pink family.) 53 



base or the central column of the 1-celled (rarely 3 - 5-celled) pod, with a 

 slender embryo coUed or curved around the outside of mealy albumen. — 

 Bland herbs ; the stems usually swollen at the joints ; uppermost leaves 

 rarely alternate. Leaves often united at the base. Calyx imbricated in 

 the bud, persistent. Styles stigmatic along the inside. Seeds amphitro- 

 pous or campylotropous. — There are several suborders, of which the first 

 three are the principal. * 



Synopsis. 



SuBOEDEK I. SILENEiE. The Pkopbr PmK Family. 



Sepals united into a tubular calyx. Petals and stamens borne on the 

 stalk of the many-seeded pod, the former with long claws included in the 

 calyx-tube, mostly convolute in aestivation. Seeds numerous. — Stipulea 

 none. Flowers mostly showy. 



* Oalyx with scaly bHUJtlets at the base. Seeds flattened : embryo nearly straight. 



1. DIANTHDS. Calyx terete, mostly cylindrical. Styles 2. 



* * Calyx naked. Seeds globular or kidney-shaped ; embryo curved or coiled. 



2. SAFONARIA. Calyx terete. Styles 2. 



3. VACOARIA. Calyx 6-angled and in fruit 5-wing«d. Styles 2. 

 i. SILENE. Calyx S-toothcd. Styles 3, rarely ^ 



6. AOROSTEMMA. Calyx with 6 narrow leafy lobes. Styles 5. 



Suborder II. ALSINE.S;. The Chickv^eed Family. 



Sepals distinct or nearly so. Petals without claws (sometimes none), 

 mostly imbricated in aestivation, and with the stamens inserted at the base 

 of the sessile ovary, or into a little disk which often coheres with the 

 base of the calyx. Pod splitting into valves, few - many-seeded. Stamens 

 opposite the sepals, when not more numerous than they. — Low herbs. 

 Stipules none. 



# Styles opposite the sepals, or, when fewer, opposite those which are exterior in the bud. 

 •*- TalTes of the pod as many a£ the styles (usually 3), and entire. 

 6 HONKENYA. Seeds few, at the base of the pod. Stamens borne on a thick and glandu- 

 lar 10-lobed disk. 



7. ALSINE. Seeds many, attached to a central column, naked. 



4- -I- Valves or teeth into which the pod splite twice as many as there are styles. 

 ^ Pod splitting to the middle or ^irther into valyes. 



8. ARENABIA. Petals 6, entire. Styles 3. Pods at first S-Talved, the valves soon 2-oleft, 



making 6. Seeds rough, naked. 



9. M(EHRINaiA. Petals 4-6, entire. Styles 2-4. Pods 4-8-vaIved. Seeds smooth and 



shining, appendaged at the hilum. 



10. SIELLARIA. Petals4-6, mostly 2-cleft, sometimes minute or none. Styles (2-5) most- 



ly S. Pods splitting into twice as many valves. Seeds not appendaged. 

 ++ ** Pod opening only at the top by teeth, 



11. HOLOSTEUM. Petals 6, denticulate at the end. Stamens and styles mostly 3. 



12. CERASTIUM. Petals 4-6, usually 2-cleft. Styles as many as the petals. 



* * Styles alternate with the sepals : stamens as many as th^, sometimes twice as many. 

 IS. SAQINA. Petals 4-6, undivided, or none. Styles 4-6. Pod4-B-valved. 

 5* 



